The Bankster – A Review

Book: The Bankster
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Publishing Year: 2012
Number of Pages: 364

Language: English

List Price: Rs. 250 INR

Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Dharini and daughter Anusha.

Ravi Subramanian maintains his online presence at the following addresses: 

·         Website: http://www.ravisubramanian.in

·         Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Authorravisubramanian

·         Twitter: https://twitter.com/SubramanianRavi

·         Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/AuthorRavi

Other Books written by Ravi Subramanian (not necessarily in the same order):

1.  If God was a Banker 
2. Devil in Pinstripes 
3. The Incredible Banker 
4.  I bought the Monk's Ferrari

This is the third book written by Ravi Subramanian that I have now read. I started reading Ravi Subramanian  with “If God was a Banker”, then moved on to “The Incredible Banker” and now finally onto “The Bankster”. The reason I stuck with Ravi Subramaniam was because in each of the two predecessors he brought out the schemes and scams of the Indian Banking sector in the most remarkable way. 

Theme and the Plot have always been the strength of all Ravi Subramanian novels. This is again somewhere he does not disappoint. The way he has done that is through an incredible exposure of India’s banking sector. India is touted as one of the world’s safest places to bank and the plot of this book with its potential & possibilities is a revelation, if not startling. I am sure for people working in the Banking sector in India would get nostalgic going through this piece of fiction.  Also, corporate employees from any background will be able to relate in one way or the other to the story. And at one point everyone reading will ask himself/herself ‘how much of this is fiction’. But that is up to the reader again.  The overall ‘Plot’ of the book and the tight suspense seem very convincing. The way the plot deepens, darkens and destroys the seekers is remarkable and must’ve taken a lot of effort from Ravi. My 5on 5 for it.

The narration and storytelling is typical Ravi Subramanian style and it is not bad at all, infact it goes very well. The very first thing that captured my imagination was the first few paragraphs. The mention of an Indian CIA agent operating deep within enemy lines caught my mind’s eye.  It is an unlikely area that not too many Indian fiction authors explore. The genre that has sadly caught the fancy of Indian authors is ‘love, romance’ and this book comes as a great overall package breaking that monotony and moving away from the conventional to the unchartered. Ravi has yet again done a great job at this. My 5on 5 for it.

Character has never been Ravi’s forte. He unfortunately does not do much here. I would agree that at most times you would feel that the characters are underdeveloped. The characters apart from one or two of them will never grow on you. You will feel a lack of depth and flatness of characters which is unwelcome and definitely could have been better. My 2.5 on 5 for it.  

The Good news: The book still cruises through because of the thick plot and despite the shortcoming of the characters. The suspense is well-balanced. This and the overall pace of things picks up steam as we keep reading making this a compelling read.

To sum up, this book is a good read. As always, you read and decide! My final verdict: 4 on 5.

You may read the first five chapters as a free preview at http://slidesha.re/MDC5iT

You may order 'The Bankster’ at any of these online retailers:

Indiatimes: http://shopping.indiatimes.com/books/miscellaneous/the-bankster/UMISC/p_U9788129120489
Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/the-bankster-8129120488/p/itmddehgcsy2bydc?pid=9788129120489
Infibeam: http://www.infibeam.com/Books/bankster-ravi-subramanian/9788129120489.html?track=india_bookstore
Crossword: http://www.crossword.in/books/bankster/p-books-9788129120489.html

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'If' by Rudyard Kipling dedicated to Sales

These are the immortal lines penned by Rudyard Kipling and they in one way or other point to the qualities, temperament, virtues, vices of sales and salesman. Definitely one of the most inspiring poems out there. It makes the perfect guide to become a better person, no matter age, sex, or nationality of the reader.

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!